Removing Barriers

Episode 114 The old hymn reminds us of the blessedness in obedience to the word of God. "When we walk with the Lord in the light of His word, what a glory he sheds on our way! While we do His good will, He abides with us still, and with all who will trust and obey." In this episode of the Removing Barriers podcast, we share our top five picks of commands in scripture that are simple and straightfo...

Episode 113 Kanye West, who now goes by "Ye," is no stranger to controversy. He is certainly an anomaly in the realm of celebrity in that he does not think along mainstream lines, and he has paid a hefty price to speak what he believes to be true. He recently wore a shirt with "White Lives Matter" at the Paris Fashion Show and the backlash was both swift and strong. What was his intent in wearing...

Episode 112 We can all remember a time when we have solved all the world's complex problems in our living rooms in general conversation with friends and family. Matt Walsh recently posted a video doing the same thing, asserting that the promotion of marriage will save the United States. It is no secret that marriage has been on the decline while divorce is at a staggering rate of over 50%. Young m...

Episode 111 Series: How Were Your Barriers Removed - 31 Some Christians erroneously think that a salvation testimony is somehow less powerful when the person is, by worldly standards, "a good person." Perhaps they grew up in a moral or maybe even Christian home and never ventured in worldly pleasures. This kind of background, some may think, does not adequately showcase a drastic change at the poi...

Episode 110 The deity of Christ is a core and foundational doctrine that we absolutely have to get right in order to be genuinely saved. Yet, 52% percent of American adults and 30% of professing Christians do not believe that Jesus Christ is God. Instead they relegate Him to the realm of "a good man," "a great teacher," or "first created being." This is a significant barrier that must be addressed...

Episode 109 Series: On the Mission Field - 9 We continue the series that explores actual day-to-day ministry work involved in removing barriers and reaching lost souls with the gospel in foreign (and not so foreign) lands. On this episode of the Removing Barriers podcast, we interview Kim Heimerl, a missionary to the people of Porto Alegre, Brazil, to discover her experiences on the mission field....

Episode 108 The radicalization of the American Democratic Party has made it so that anything right of Lenin is Conservative and anything left of Lenin just isn't Left enough. How can a country withstand such extreme polarities in its politics? Many Christians who would identify themselves as conservative suddenly find themselves in the agreement with centrists, liberals, and progressives, an obvio...

Episode 107 In this episode of the Removing Barriers podcast, we continue our 2-part interview with Pete and Erin, a married couple who have gone through the process of adopting their son and have graciously agreed to share their experience and perspective with you, our audience. Today, we will hear about adoption from a mother's point of view. Though we know that men and women are different, you...

Episode 106 On the heels of the overturning of Roe v. Wade, we turn our attention to something that needs the spotlight more than it actually gets: adoption. The picture of adoption is most vividly portrayed in what God accomplished in salvation. Every single person whom Christ has saved is adopted into the family of God, made co-heirs with Christ. What a beautiful picture of adoption! In this epi...

Episode 105 On the frontlines of the abortion issue in the United States are hundreds of pregnancy resource centers, providing help, healthcare, and counseling to women in crisis pregnancy situations all over the country (and services are extended to the children's fathers as well). Unlike Planned Parenthood that provides death services under the guise of healthcare, pregnancy resource centers act...

Episode 104 In this episode of the Removing Barriers podcast, we continue our discussion on the legal and social perspectives on abortion with Sam and Mike from episode 103. The reaction to the Supreme Court's decision has galvanized millions to pull out all the stops to see the ruling reversed. What would that mean for the country, however, and what legal and social fallout can we expect from the...

Episode 103 With the overturning of Roe v. Wade in June of 2022, the reactions have been at once intense and galvanizing on both sides all over the country.  We have found, however, that many responses are shaped by misinformation and incorrect assumptions, supposing the ruling does something it does not actually do. What exactly does the overturning of Roe v. Wade mean for the country as a w...

Episode 102 Christians and other pro-lifers across the country rejoiced when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June of 2022. But there is yet more work to be done. The number of abortions taking place that we know of inevitably includes women who are a part of a church, or worse yet, profess Christ. That's right, Christian women across the country are either getting abortions, considerin...

Episode 101 Every so often and at certain milestones, it is good to look back and reflect on where you've come from, and how God has worked along the way. Nearly two years ago now, U.S. cities were on fire, racial tensions were at an all time high, and the historically obvious nature of gender was now up for debate. Though the temptation was great to fume and rant at the talking heads on TV, the L...

Episode 100 Series: How Were Your Barriers Removed - 30 This is the second in a two-part interview where the interviewers are being interviewed. The guest is none other than MCG, the muse and mastermind behind the podcast! MCG was born and grew up in the lovely Caribbean country of Antigua. His mother regularly attended Salvation Army ladies' group and his uncle was a devout Rastafarian managing l...

Episode 99 Series: How Were Your Barriers Removed - 29 In this episode of the Removing Barriers podcast, the interviewer is being interviewed! Jay sits on the other side of the microphones to give testimony of how the Lord Jesus Christ removed the barriers she had to salvation. Her religious upbringing mixed with her own apathy and carelessness created those barriers, but they were no match for th...

Episode 98 Series: How Were Your Barriers Removed - 28 Paul is a gentle giant who loves music. In fact, he loves music so much that as a youngster he lied about being saved and was baptized just to be able to play in his church orchestra and sing with the choir. It took a car accident and the prayers and conversation of a godly wife to tear down his barriers and bring him to a saving knowledge of...

Bonus Episode B2 In this special bonus episode of the Removing Barriers podcast we will be featuring an episode from "A Thousand Lives Broadcast” hosted by Austin. A Thousand Lives Broadcast and the Vision for China team have a burden and calling to reach lost souls in the country of China. We invite you to start listening to A Thousand Lives Broadcast and buckle up to navigate the complexities of...

Episode 97 Series: How Were Your Barriers Removed - 27 Lena and her family were refugees in Germany before moving to the United States. The circumstances seemed quite bleak, but God, who would have all men to be saved, overcame many barriers to find and save her. On this episode of the Removing Barriers podcast, we speak with Lena about how God removed the barriers she had to salvation, and how th...

Episode 96 Series: How Were Your Barriers Removed - 26 In this episode of the Removing Barriers podcast, we have pastor Tommy Wakefield joining us again. You will recall from episode 93 that he is one of the founders of the Soul-winning App and a pastor in his local area. This time around, pastor Wakefield share the story of how Jesus saved him, even though he grew up in a religious household. You...

Episode 95 Series: On the Mission Field - 8 Tim Barrett is a missionary to the vibrant and beautiful country of Brazil, home to 214 million souls. Serving in the state of São Paulo, he encounters people of different backgrounds, beliefs, and experiences on a daily basis. In this episode of the Removing Barriers podcast, we ask him about these encounters, what it is like serving in São Paulo, what...

Episode 94 Series: On the Mission Field - 7 On this episode of the Removing Barriers podcast, we interview missionary Austin, who is on his way to serve the Lord in Guangdong, China along with his wife and young son. Though the COVID-19 pandemic has slowed progress toward that goal, he is not deterred and he continues to serve the Lord in every capacity he can, wherever he can.  In this inter...

Episode 93 This episode of the Removing Barriers podcast is a little different in that we are interviewing Tommy Wakefield. He is one of the creators of the Soul-winning App, or SWAPP for short. SWAPP is an outreach management application that churches can use to help keep track of outreach in their areas, follow-ups, prayers, needs, and ministry opportunities as a result of witnessing door to doo...

Episode 92 In this episode of the Removing Barriers podcast, we continue our discussion with Missionary Marco on Slavery, The Bible and Christians. This time we evaluate the institution in its historicity and what implications that has for us today. Why did great thinkers like Aristotle think slavery was a necessary part of civilization? In light of American history, was slavery necessary? Why was...

Episode 91 There is no shortage of debate and conversation about slavery and its heinous legacy in the United States. In this episode of the Removing Barriers podcast, we have Missionary Marco with us again to discuss how Christians interacted with the institution, and how our 21st century understanding of slavery may not fully appreciate all the factors in play in the 17th and 18th centuries. How...